Why air conditioning Is no longer a luxury for UK companies

There was a time when air conditioning was seen as an optional extra in the UK. It was something you expected to find in a data centre, a hotel or a prestige office, rather than in an everyday workplace. That perception has now changed dramatically, writes Phil Wiltshire, contract director at Pensdown, the electrical people.

With record-breaking temperatures becoming more frequent, businesses are increasingly recognising that maintaining a comfortable indoor environment is not about comfort.

Recent heatwaves have highlighted just how vulnerable many UK workplaces are to overheating. The UK's climate is changing, and businesses need to adapt. The UK experienced its first ever 40°C temperature in 2022 and recent summers have continued to challenge assumptions about Britain's traditionally mild climate.

According to the UK's Climate Change Committee, many buildings were designed for a climate that no longer exists, with overheating now becoming a significant risk across homes, offices and commercial premises. As a result, cooling demand is rising rapidly across Europe and while the UK still lags behind many countries in air conditioning adoption, the direction of travel is clear.

Recent studies suggest only around 4-5% of UK homes currently have air conditioning, but demand has doubled in recent years. In commercial buildings, integrated HVAC systems are becoming increasingly common, particularly in offices, healthcare facilities, retail, hospitality and education.

Why Businesses Should Care

For many organisations, air conditioning is often viewed as an expense rather than an investment. However, poor temperature control carries its own costs.

When indoor temperatures rise, concentration falls. Employees become fatigued more quickly, decision-making slows and productivity suffers. Equipment can also be affected, particularly servers, IT infrastructure and specialist manufacturing equipment that rely on stable operating temperatures.

Customer-facing businesses face additional challenges. Whether it's a restaurant, retail outlet, gym or showroom, uncomfortable indoor conditions can shorten customer visits and influence purchasing behaviour. As hybrid working continues, employers are also under greater pressure to provide workplaces that people actually want to return to.

It's Not Just About Cooling

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding modern air conditioning is that it simply blows cold air around a room. Today's commercial systems do far more.

Modern systems help regulate humidity, improve indoor air quality, remove airborne pollutants, filter allergens and maintain consistent temperatures throughout the building. Many also integrate with building management systems, allowing businesses to monitor energy consumption and control heating and cooling remotely.

In many cases, the same system that provides cooling during the summer can also provide highly efficient heating during the winter through reversible heat pump technology.

That said, one concern businesses often raise is running costs. While older air conditioning systems could be energy intensive, today's inverter-driven heat pump technology is considerably more efficient. Modern systems adjust their output continuously rather than operating at full capacity all the time, reducing electricity consumption while maintaining a stable indoor temperature.

The International Energy Agency notes that space cooling is becoming one of the fastest-growing sources of building energy demand worldwide, making efficient cooling technologies increasingly important in helping businesses manage energy use.

The key is selecting equipment that is correctly sized for the building and professionally installed. Oversized systems cycle on and off unnecessarily, wasting energy. Undersized systems struggle to maintain comfortable conditions and often operate continuously.

Choosing the Right System

At Pensdown, we are very aware that no two buildings are the same. An open-plan office has very different cooling requirements from a retail showroom, healthcare facility or warehouse.

This means that businesses typically have several options available, including:

• Split air conditioning systems for individual rooms or smaller offices.

• Multi-split systems where several indoor units connect to one outdoor unit.

• Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems for larger commercial buildings requiring independent temperature control across multiple zones.

• Integrated HVAC systems that combine heating, cooling and ventilation within one coordinated solution.

Selecting the right system depends on occupancy levels, building layout, heat gains, operating hours and future expansion plans. It must also be said that, like any building service’s installation, air conditioning performs best when properly maintained.

Regular servicing helps maintain efficiency, protects warranties, extends equipment life and reduces the likelihood of unexpected breakdowns during periods of peak demand. Maintenance also helps ensure systems continue operating safely while maintaining good indoor air quality. Businesses that delay maintenance often discover problems during the hottest weeks of the year, precisely when systems are under the greatest pressure.

Planning for the Future

In addition to all this, one of the biggest challenges companies now face is future-proofing their buildings. Climate projections suggest warmer summers are likely to become more common, while employee expectations around workplace comfort continue to rise.

Many organisations are also pursuing sustainability targets. Modern air conditioning systems increasingly use lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants, improved controls and higher efficiency compressors that help reduce operational carbon emissions while supporting wider environmental objectives.

At the same time, integrating cooling with solar PV, battery storage and smart building controls is becoming an increasingly attractive option for businesses seeking to reduce long-term operating costs.

We can see therefore, that air conditioning is no longer simply about keeping cool during the occasional heatwave. For many organisations, it has become part of a wider strategy for improving workplace wellbeing, supporting productivity, protecting valuable equipment and preparing buildings for a changing climate.

The companies that invest in modern, energy-efficient cooling systems today are often doing far more than installing air conditioning. They are creating workplaces that are healthier, more comfortable, more resilient and better equipped for the future.